Candidates from a local riding had the opportunity to explain their platforms and discuss issues highlighting this election.
The Thunder Bay-Superior North Candidate’s Forum took place Wednesday afternoon at Trinity Hall.
The event featured candidates from four parties in the riding:
Joshua Taylor – Conservative Party
Amanda Moddejonge – Green Party
Patty Hajdu – Liberal Party
Chantelle Bryson – New Democratic Party
Some of the main focuses of the discussion included reconciliation, pandemic recovery, and climate change.
NDP Candidate Chantelle Bryson
Chantelle Bryson was the first to provide their opening remarks.
Like many other NDP candidates she questioned the timing of the election while talking about taxing the super-rich.
“The NDP and I are firmly committed to an effective and fair economic and social recovery,” explains Bryson. “We will shift the cost burden to large corporations and the ultra-wealthy to support our industries, small business, worker rights, safety, and pensions, increase healthcare and mental health addiction services, and real equity and justice for Indigenous kids, families, survivors and communities.”
Bryson mentioned as a regional lawyer, she spent time working directly with municipalities and Indigenous communities.
The NDP candidate went on to explain her thoughts on climate action.
“The NDP will promise equity to First Nations to ensure their communities are safe,” says Bryson. “They will heavily invest in green infrastructure and green energy. They will not be investing in any pipelines.”
Conservative Candidate Joshua Taylor
Taylor works as the Youth Engagement Facilitator in the Tobacco Control Department of the Thunder Bay District Health Unit.
He began by stressing the importance of changing perspectives of the city.
“When I went to Western, people knew two things about Thunder Bay, it’s very cold and it’s the murder capital of Canada,” explains Taylor. “That should not be our claim to fame, so I am running to keep communities safe. My parents grew up in the north as well and one of the main things they always felt is that there was no representation in smaller communities, and this lack of representation means that we can’t have adequate representation in Ottawa if there’s no representation in our riding.”
Taylor later spoke on climate change, stating larger polluters in the world need to be held accountable.
“In terms of reducing climate change globally, we need a global approach,” says Taylor. “Canada only roughly contributes two per cent of the greenhouse gases across the world, and we need to hold the big polluters accountable, like China, India, and the United States, to ensure that overall we can mitigate our global greenhouse gas emissions and not just Canada’s.”
Taylor says lowering greenhouse gases on a global stage can be started by transitioning to liquid natural gas in certain countries.
Liberal Candidate Patty Hajdu
Hajdu was victorious in the riding in the previous federal election.
She used her opening statement to stress a re-elected Liberal government would build on what they have accomplished since coming into power.
“Canadians have a big decision to make, will we keep moving forward on reconciliation, on protecting our climate, on a stronger inclusive economy, or will we let Erin O’ Toole take us backwards,” says Hajdu. “People want to keep the progress that we’ve made, they want healthier safer communities where everyone has that fair chance to succeed, and they want a government that takes their health seriously, that’s what we’ve done since 2015. In 2020, as we faced the pandemic together we stopped at nothing to keep Canadians safe.”
When the discussion turned to climate change, Hajdu said her party has received top marks on their plan since 2015.
“I think you can see that the Conservative’s answer is we won’t do anything until China does, and the NDP answer is that their plan is better, but in fact both Tom Mulcair and Andrew Weaver, the former Green Party leader of BC, have given the Liberal plan the best scoring for practicality, GHD targets, and costs of promises. I think what people forget is that these are real working people and that transition takes time, but the plan is aggressive.”
Hajdu served as the Federal Minister of Health since the Liberals 2019 election win.
Green Party Candidate Amanda Moddejonge
Moddejonge began her opening statement by questioning the timing of the election, and the Liberal government handling of the pandemic.
“This election should not be happening,” says Moddejonge, “Canadians don’t need and don’t want endless elections in the middle of a pandemic. The fact that this government called this one they did, shows how out of touch it actually is. During a pandemic, the government should not be encouraging activities that will require people to unnecessarily interface with others outside of their social bubble. What the government should have been doing is focus on Afghanistan.”
Moddejonge went on to mention the Liberal government did not act quickly enough in tackling COVID-19, and explained what she would bring if elected.
“Send me to Ottawa, and I will protect our northern lands,” stressed Moddejonge. “I will always have Lake Superior’s best interest at heart, especially when it comes to nuclear waste. I’m asking for your support during this election so we can establish honest, ethical, caring leadership.”
Moddejonge stated she would also upgrade drinking and waste water systems to protect against droughts and contamination.
Part of the Green Party plan includes investments in climate-proofing infrastructure.
The public can view the Candidate’s Forum here.
Election day is Monday, September 20.